1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking and, more particularly, to the control and operation of a multi-fan convection oven.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, conventional ovens employ radiant heating elements, such as bake and broil elements, to cook food within an oven cavity. However, due mainly to consumer demands for ovens which can cook a meal in less time than conventional ovens without sacrificing the quality of the prepared food, conventional cooking techniques are continually being combined with other cooking systems. For instance, in seeking to meet consumer demands, manufacturers are combining conventional radiant cooking systems with convection, microwave and other types of rapid cooking systems.
Problems connected with designing an oven capable of rapidly and effectively cooking a food item are exacerbated by the wide array of consumer tastes. Simply stated, no single cooking process lends itself to efficiently and effectively cooking the wide variety of food items desired by consumers. However, it is considered that convection ovens show significant versatility in connection with providing a wide range in the types of cooking operations which can be effectively performed. For instance, forced air convection allows for cooking at lower temperatures as compared to conventional radiant cooking processes, while still reducing overall cook time and increasing product quality. Basically, forced air streams are created to disrupt a thermal insulation layer about a food item which, in turn, increases the heat transfer rate between the food item and its surroundings. Further enhancements are found when utilizing a convection system in conjunction with a conventional radiant heating system.
It is considered that an oven design incorporating a forced air convection system capable of performing both convection and standard radiant cooking can enable an appetizing meal to be prepared in a short time period. The prior art has many examples of ovens which combine several types of cooking processes. However, most are limited in the types of cooking processes performed. In addition, drawbacks are seen to exist in connection with the known prior art in relation to the overall effectiveness of the available cooking processes. To address these concerns, it is seen to be desirable to provide a combination oven structured and operated in a manner which provides advantages of both convection and conventional cooking techniques, while providing a variety of cooking mode options for a user.